Miami goaltender Trevor Prior blanked the opposition in a tough first period and Lake Superior forward Terry Marchant notched two assists as the United States beat Canada 3-1 at the second annual North American University Hockey Championship, held Friday at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit.
Prior, named the U.S. team’s player of the game, stopped three breakaways in the first period before giving way to St. Cloud’s Brian Leitza and Michigan’s Marty Turco, each of whom played one period in net for the U.S. team, coached by Maine’s Shawn Walsh.
Clarkson’s Buddy Wallace opened the U.S. scoring with a first-period goal, and Marchant then assisted on scores by Ferris State’s Brett Colborne — a second-period shorthander — and Miami’s Adam Copeland, before J.P. Davis tallied for the Canadians to foil the shutout attempt. In net for Canada, Luc Belanger had 29 saves.
A rule change for this year’s event allowed players of all nationalities to play for the U.S. team, so long as they attended a U.S. college. Last year, Canada won the inaugural event with a 4-3 overtime upset against a U.S. team composed solely of Americans.
